Gemini in Google Workspace

Gemini's deepest competitive advantage is its integration with Google Workspace. While ChatGPT and Claude are standalone tools you visit in a browser, Gemini lives inside the apps you already use — Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet. This lesson shows you how to use Gemini in each of these tools.

Requirements

To use Gemini in Google Workspace apps, you need one of the following:

• Google One AI Premium ($20/month) — for personal Google accounts
• Gemini for Workspace add-on — for Google Workspace business accounts (pricing varies by plan)
• Some features are available on free accounts with limited usage

The free Gemini at gemini.google.com can still help you with Workspace tasks by copying and pasting content. But the full in-app integration — where Gemini works directly inside Gmail, Docs, etc. — requires a paid plan.

Gemini in Gmail

Gmail is where most people first experience Gemini in Workspace. Gemini can help you write, reply, summarize, and organize emails.

Drafting Emails

When composing a new email or reply, click the "Help me write" button (sparkle icon) in the compose window. Then describe what you want:

Write a follow-up email to a job interviewer. Thank them for
the interview yesterday. Mention I'm excited about the role
and the team culture they described. Professional tone.

Gemini generates a draft directly in your compose window. You can:

• Insert the draft as-is
• Refine — Ask Gemini to make it more formal, casual, shorter, or longer
• Regenerate — Get a new version

Summarizing Email Threads

Open a long email thread and click "Summarize this email" at the top. Gemini will condense the entire conversation into key points, saving you from reading through dozens of back-and-forth messages.

This is especially useful for:

• Catching up on threads you were added to late
• Quickly understanding the status of a project discussion
• Finding action items buried in long conversations

Finding Information

In the Gemini sidebar within Gmail, you can ask questions about your inbox:

Find the email from David about the Q3 budget that
he sent last week.

What meetings do I have scheduled for tomorrow based
on my recent emails?

Smart Reply and Quick Actions

Gemini enhances Gmail's smart reply suggestions with more contextual, detailed options. Instead of just "Thanks!" or "Sounds good," Gemini can suggest replies that reference specific details from the conversation.

Gemini in Google Docs

Gemini in Docs transforms your document editor into a collaborative writing partner.

Help Me Write

Place your cursor where you want text and click the "Help me write" button or type @ and select Gemini. Describe what you need:

Write an executive summary for a quarterly business
review. The company grew revenue 15% year-over-year
and launched 3 new products.

Gemini inserts the text directly into your document at the cursor position.

Rewriting and Editing

Select existing text in your document, right-click, and choose "Help me write." You can then ask Gemini to:

• Summarize — Condense a long section into a shorter version
• Elaborate — Expand a brief point with more detail
• Formalize — Make casual writing more professional
• Shorten — Cut unnecessary words while keeping the meaning
• Rephrase — Say the same thing differently
• Custom — Give specific editing instructions

Rewrite this paragraph to be more concise. Keep the
same key points but cut it to half the length.

Generating Entire Sections

Need to add a new section to a document? Describe it:

Add a "Risk Assessment" section to this project plan.
Include categories for technical risks, resource risks,
and timeline risks. Use a table format.

Working with Existing Content

Gemini in Docs can reference the content already in your document:

Based on the data in this document, write a conclusion
that summarizes the three main findings and recommends
next steps.

Gemini in Google Sheets

Gemini in Sheets is particularly powerful because it eliminates the need to memorize complex formulas and functions.

Creating Formulas

Instead of looking up formula syntax, describe what you want in plain English:

Calculate the percentage growth between column B
(last year) and column C (this year) for each row.

Gemini generates the correct formula and can insert it directly into your spreadsheet.

Common Formula Requests

Create a VLOOKUP that matches employee IDs in column A
with their department names from the reference table
on Sheet2.

Write a formula that counts how many cells in column D
contain the word "Completed" and shows the result as
a percentage of total rows.

Create a conditional formatting rule that highlights
cells in column E red if the value is below the average
of the entire column.

Data Analysis

Select a range of data and ask Gemini to analyze it:

Analyze this sales data and tell me:
- Which product category has the highest growth
- Which region is underperforming
- Any seasonal patterns you notice

Generating Charts

Create a bar chart showing monthly revenue from the
data in columns A and B. Add a trend line.

Organizing Data

I have a messy list of names, emails, and phone numbers
in column A. Split them into separate columns for
first name, last name, email, and phone number.

Gemini in Google Slides

Creating presentations is one of the most time-consuming tasks Gemini can dramatically speed up.

Creating Presentations from Scratch

Create a 10-slide presentation about our company's
sustainability initiatives. Include:
- Title slide
- Overview of our environmental goals
- Current progress (use placeholder data)
- Key projects: solar panels, waste reduction, green commuting
- Future plans
- Call to action
Use a professional, clean design.

Gemini generates a complete slide deck with formatted text, layouts, and placeholder images.

Generating Individual Slides

Within an existing presentation, add a new slide and ask Gemini:

Create a slide comparing our product pricing to three
competitors. Use a table format with features down the
left side and competitors across the top.

Speaker Notes

Generate speaker notes for each slide in this
presentation. Keep them conversational and include
key talking points and transitions between slides.

Image Generation for Slides

Create a professional illustration for a slide about
team collaboration. Use a modern, flat design style
with blue and green colors.

Gemini in Google Meet

Gemini in Meet helps you capture and act on meeting content.

Meeting Notes

When you join a Google Meet call with Gemini enabled, it can:

• Take notes automatically throughout the meeting
• Capture action items with assigned owners
• Record key decisions made during the discussion

Meeting Summaries

After a meeting ends, Gemini provides a summary that includes:

• Main topics discussed
• Key decisions made
• Action items with owners and deadlines
• Any follow-up meetings scheduled

This summary can be shared with attendees or people who could not attend.

During the Meeting

While a meeting is in progress, you can ask Gemini:

What were the main points discussed so far?

What action items have been mentioned?

This is useful for long meetings where you need to quickly catch up if you stepped away.

Gemini in Google Drive

Gemini can search and analyze content across your entire Google Drive:

Find all documents related to the Project Apollo launch
from the last 3 months.

Summarize the key points from the three most recent
meeting notes in my Drive.

Search my Drive for any spreadsheets that contain
Q4 sales data.

Tips for Getting the Most from Workspace Integration

Start with email. Gmail integration is the easiest to pick up and provides immediate value. Get comfortable there before moving to Docs and Sheets.

Let Gemini handle formatting. Instead of manually formatting tables, headers, and bullet points, describe the structure you want and let Gemini create it.

Use it for formulas. Even experienced spreadsheet users forget complex formula syntax. Describing what you want in English is faster than looking up VLOOKUP or QUERY syntax.

Build on existing content. Gemini works best when it has context. In Docs, reference existing sections. In Sheets, point to existing data ranges. In Slides, reference the presentation theme.

Review and edit. Always review what Gemini generates. It is a starting point, not a final product. Check facts, verify formulas, and adjust tone to match your needs.

Key Takeaways

• Gemini in Google Workspace works directly inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Drive — no copy-pasting needed
• In Gmail, Gemini can draft emails, summarize threads, and search your inbox using natural language
• In Docs, use "Help me write" to generate, rewrite, summarize, or expand text inline
• In Sheets, describe formulas in plain English instead of memorizing syntax — Gemini generates and inserts them
• In Slides, Gemini can create entire presentations, generate individual slides, and write speaker notes
• In Meet, Gemini takes notes, captures action items, and provides meeting summaries
• Full Workspace integration requires Google One AI Premium or a Workspace add-on; the free Gemini at gemini.google.com can still help with Workspace tasks via copy-paste